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Art Adams is hopping mad about the “Revenge of the Great Camera Shootout (Part1, Part2, Part3)” from Zacuto which made an iPhone look close to Red Epic as he details his objections to the side by side camera tests.

If you don’t know the backstory, take a look here. Zacuto has, for the last few years, conducted a series of camera shootouts intended to show how modern cameras stack up against each other. They’re well intentioned, but as someone who does a lot of testing I’m quite unhappy with the fact that they don’t hire people who know how to objectively test cameras.

Let me say this up front: While this test makes me really, really angry, I think it was planned and executed with the best of intentions. I appreciate the hard work everyone put into it. Unfortunately it results in headlines like the one above on a blog like Gizmodo—not an insignificant source of tech news. Indeed, at the end of part three of Zacuto’s current video series, all the cinematographers interviewed say that they were impressed by how similar the cameras were, when I think what they really meant to say is that each camera can create pretty images. The two statements are not the same: the first implies similar function; the second implies artistic achievement. The former says “These cameras work the same!” while the latter says “These cameras can look great, but you haven’t asked me how much more work it will take to achieve desired results with one versus the other.”

9 Comments

Steve Weiss already adressed most of this in the comments of this article, so I’ll leave that alone. What I am most confused about is Adams claim that “they don’t hire people who know how to objectively test cameras.” Really? I would like to hear an explanation of that statement.

Because every DP is modifying the setup to favor the specific camera. So the quality of the shots depend on the skill of the DP not the camera itself. Make the setup equal for all cameras and you’ll see the real strengths and weaknesses of each camera.

So we all agree that they (the journalists) reported incomplete and/or misinformation. Did the shootout claim that or did the articles? I’m suprised people are putting the responsibility on Zacuto instead of the journalists who misrepresent and misinterpret the shootout.

I think Steve Weiss made some good points in the comment section of that article. Even if Francis Ford Coppola picks the GH2 over Epic and other pro-cameras and it convinces some idiot producer to forgo those cameras – it’s just a matter of time before that will happen.

That same idiot producer is going to see a great Vimeo film made by this or that camera and what to shoot on that.

Your job as a DP is to fight for the gear you want to use (or need to use – cause we all know about showboating DPs). If a producer is dictating what tools you need to use, chances are they’re going to be a nightmare to work with.

I think that some of us read to deeply into the three part series. I also think that some of us have an inferiority complex. Of all the cameras that were used, none were operated by lets say, someone like me; meaning someone with limited on no true videography skills. Do I think all of the cameras are capable; absolutely but it also depends on who the client is and what their expectations are. I shoot with a Mark III, an XLH1 and a HF-G10, lower end cameras. For my clients, these cameras are more than acceptable. In the proper hands they’d probably add to the disgruntled feelings that some have after watching the 3 part shootout series. I guess you just find the best camera for you and capture the most appropriate images to tell your story. If you’re successful, it won’t matter if you tell the story on an Iphone or the Alexa Camera (Which I love by the way).

Gotta’ love the folks who think their job is in jeopardy as a DP from an 17 year old with an iphone. Well, all I can say to that is that if the 17 year old is doing better work with his iphone, or Canon 5d that you are with your Epic, then your job deserves to be threatened, better yet give that kid your Epic and let’s see what he can really do. People doing good work aren’t worried about this experiment in the least. The only people that should be sweating are the shysters renting out expensive gear to amateurs instead of telling them where they should be putting their money.